Legend of Zelda: Fate of Hyrule
by Shaneypooh
Summary: Updated! The long peaceful Hyrule has been threatened by darkness as the moblins strike. Will the hero of the old legends surface to quell their ambitions? Please review responsibly.
1. Prologue: Hyrule in Turmoil

**AN-** I haven't put anything here in years so I hope I can make a successful return. I don't have much time to write these days so don't gripe too much if a month or two pass with no updates. This prologue is just an intro into the story's setting. I'm not trying to draw in the fanboys or fangirls so if you don't like some of my characters, then tough. I am relying on a highly original cast here and I will try to remain as true to the world of Legend of Zelda as I can. If I step on any toes, I am sorry. Don't expect me to change things based on your opinions though. That out of the way let's move onto the story.

**Disclaimer** I do not own any rights over Legend of Zelda. I'm poor.

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The Hylian year was 1281. Hyrule stood many years of relative peace and perservered the passing of time until even the legend of the Hero of Time was reduced to a mere fable told to children as a bedtime story. The troubles of old were long forgotten. Only a scattered few altercations between Hyrule and bands of the Gerudo thieves had ever interrupted the way of life in the tranquil lands since the fateful battle so long ago. It was more than a fairy tale then, that dire fight between Dark King Ganon and the Hero. Since those days, the Hylian Army withered away slowly. Year after year the blades rusted and dulled. It was nothing anyone noticed and furthermore nothing that seemed important to address. Apart from the loose guard of Hyrule Castle, there was no longer a standing army when disaster struck. All at once did the Moblin horde begin to pour onto the fields of Hyrule on the dreaded fifth day of the Hylian month Deku Seeding. The outlying farms were torched and simple farmers that had never known true battle were mercilessly slaughtered. The women and children received the same brutality from the oppressive aggressors.

A call to arms was issued and many answered the call. The majority of the Hylians in the army were poorly outfitted. Crude blunt instruments and common farm tools were the most widely used armaments. Only a precious few received a sword or spear. Shields were quite a rare sight as well. The guards wore chainmail shirts with tabbards bearing the royal crest of Hyrule. The new militia of Hyrule had no such protection. They were all sent out to fight with no armor at all. Things were grim in Hyrule. Those who went into combat were almost always outfought by the moblins. Time and time again Hyrule was faced with defeat, yet one young man returned after each battle. It was finally noticed that among all the wounded that returned from battle, there would always be the one young man that suffered nothing more than minor cuts and bruises. Those who remained inside the walls mocked him and called him coward. That young man's name was Tolbin Zobel. He had striking blond hair and sharp blue eyes and he fought like a man possessed. When he was personally observed in battle by Lord Goyle Plynn, the Captain of the militia, he was promptly issued a sword and a leather jerkin. The jeers instantly halted, as it was among the highest honors for a militiaman to receive a sword. Tolbin was soon promoted and became an equal to Captain Plynn. They shared the duties of training the militia and leading the men into battle. The battles waged in the fields continued to favor the pig-like monstrosities, yet the advantage seemed to diminish as it continued. The days became weeks and the weeks, months. Many heroes emerged from the skirmishes as the weaker combatants were weeded out.

Five months and twelve days after the Moblin forces had begun their assault on the Hylian farm lands, an effective battle-hardened score of Hylian heroes succeeded in breaking the lines of the enemy. It was on that seventeenth day of Din's Weakening that the Moblin army scattered and retreated south. The remnants of the enemy were reported to have fled beyond lake Hylia. It was a spectacular victory, celebrated throughout Hyrule. The dates of the war's beginning and the war's end were recorded as holidays in Hyrule, still celebrated to this day. The deathtoll had been countless. Captain Plynn himself had fallen to a Moblin spear in that glorious victory. Tolbin was brought before King Harlonian XIV and received the position of General. The militia was disbanded, but the majority of the survivors joined the Hylian Army out of their desire to continue service under General Zobel. The army continued to strengthen. Many smiths were supplying swords, spears, shields, helms, and suits of mail. Seamstresses produced many tabbards. It was but a short time before Hyrule had a formiddable army.

Tolbin was married after the war ended. He was twenty years old at the time of the war and his wedding was a spectacular event attended by many. He wed his childhood sweetheart, Ruth Senolin, and a year later Ruth gave birth to his firstborn, Jason. The son of the General showed prominent features of his father. The Moblins made their return when Jason was but a year old but were defeated within the month. After a couple more years passed Ruth gave birth to a daughter named Allison. Thirteen years passed with the moblins returning every two years at first, then every year. Finally the moblins began to make full strength attacks more than once a year. The Hylian Army was having trouble keeping its numbers up. General Zobel, now easily the most impressive fighter known to Hyrule, was facing tough decisions. There was still no evident leader behind the moblin presence. He knew there had to be a way to end these attacks once and for all. If only he knew the adversary sending the moblins.

The calamity was beginning anew.


	2. Chapter 1: Exodus

**Author's Note: **I finally finished transitioning this thing from notebook to computer. It took longer than I wanted to write. It took way too long typing it out. Here is your first official chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the rights to Legend of Zelda. The character Jason Zobel is largely my own fabrication and loosely based on various personifications of fellow author Lone Nightblade's roleplaying character Jas Nightblade. He owns intellectual rights to the name of this character, but I have some intellectual rights to the actual character behind the name. It's a toss up, and if Lone Nightblade were to declare full rights over the character, I would not contest his claim. Link, on the other hand is definitely my own creation and not to be confused with the character that appears as the hero of the video game series. Once you read the story this will become very apparent. King Harlonian is a derivative of King Harkinian and may thus be taken as such. Princess Zelda is owned by Nintendo. Many original characters will appear in this story and some of them are partially based on roleplaying characters of friends and will be listed as such when they surface. Nothamus is loosely based on a rival of of Jas Nightblade named Nathen and some rights may go to Lone Nightblade for this as well. Tolbin Zobel and Ruth Senolin are not based in any part on anything but the role I set them in.

**Chapter 1: Exodus**

**1297H 19th of Rainfallen**

A heavy silence hung over a dreary Hyrule Castle as the thick storm clouds boiled across the sky. The rumbling and gloom of the weather only further contributed to anxiety of King Harlonian. The unkind years following the attacks had brutally ravaged his youthful appearance, transforming his healthy blond hair to a snowy white more than a decade before it was due. Haggard lines were showing prominence around his stern eyes. Though only in his early forties, the man appeared to be no less than a good fifty.

His grim, tense face pored over the reports from the battle field. According to General Zobel, the casualties were rising at a steadily increasing pace. The General had made his own calculations that the Hylian Army could only hope to stave off the Moblin advance a mere two weeks as the momentum of the war carried on. The men needed to retreat to a more strategic defensive position or they would be overrun. What the King of Hyrule was reading was a request to withdraw to the safety of the walls. Sweat began to bead on Harlonian's brow as he weighed his options. If the men withdrew, it would put his subjects in danger. If he ordered them to hold their ground, it would cost the lives of countless good men. Too many had fallen already. After setting the reports aside, the King dipped a quill into his inkwell and went to work on a letter. That darkened evening King Harlonian wrote three sealed letters with a grave resolution set in his eyes.

The first of the letters was addressed to General Tolbin Zobel. It was a response to the General's request, detailing what Harlonian decided to be the best course of action and the orders to which the General was to adhere. The men were to hold their position three days to give adequate time for the evacuation of the women and children before falling back to defensive posts within the walls. The second letter was addressed to Captain Mathas Hallander of the Royal Guard. This letter contained the orders for preparation of the guards whom were to escort the refugees. There would be two groups, the upper class and the lower class. The elderly, women, and youth below the age of sixteen years were to leave in the morning two days later for Kakariko Village to the east. The third and final letter was composed and delivered to Harlonian's daughter, Princess Zelda. It's contents were never made known.

**1297H 20th of Rainfallen**

Each and every family within the protective walls of the Hyrule Castle Town spent the following day gathering what belongings they could carry and hiding what must be left behind from potential pillagers. The guards prepared carriages at the gate to transport the wealthy and it was decided to let the poor walk. It was a choice that was widely accepted by the upper class, though it set much of the lower class to their bickering. There were a few small disputes in the earlier part of the afternoon, some of which were settled by the guards, but the lower class gradually resigned to their appointed role in society. The day was another of overcast skies, though the rain and lightning never came. By nightfall everything had become as still and quiet as death. It was another smothering silence, heavy with the familiar restlessness that settled on each house and home. The night brought only troubled sleep as it wore on until the cucco's crow announced the arrival of morning.

**1297H 21st of Rainfallen**

Warning bells rang loudly at the sound of the first cucco crowing. The dead streets sprang to life as panicking peasants poured from their doorways into the darkness of town. No one wanted to be left behind and everyone proceeded to the gates in a state of chaos. In the uproar, the guards spent two hours setting the upper class on their way in their carriages. They were preceded and flanked by guards on horseback, most notably Captain Hallander himself, and were estimated to arrive in Kakariko in the evening. This was another cause of the disputes. The lower class would not be arriving until the following day, late in the afternoon. To strain tempers more, the storm avoided the night before would be making its appearance tonight. Though well into Spring, the stormy nights were still cold. Once the upper class had cleared the gate and crossed the drawbridge, the remainder of the guards began organizing those who were left. Two and a half hours later, everyone was finally on their way to Kakariko Village. The lower class were being escorted in a similar formation, albeit more loosely guarded. Only a few of the commanding guards were on horseback here and the rest marched on foot like the people they escorted.

Among the lower class walked one person scarcely noticed, one with higher status than all others in the group. The healthy son of General Zobel strode indifferently alongside a homeless adolescent Gerudo. He blended right in, having donned a ragged training outfit from his swordsmanship class. He, like his father, had natural proficiency with the blade and he had ruined this suit last week in a duel with one of the younger guards. It served as a good disguise but a few women recognized his face and curtsied, much to his chagrin. His brown tunic was dirty with many rips and cuts and the tan breeches had dried mud caked onto the knees; hardly clothes suitable for one of his status, but he didn't seem to notice. The Gerudo companion walking with him was a year and a half younger than him, unknowingly passing his birthday a a month and a half ago. A coarse vest of blue hung loosely on his shoulders over his slim torso. A crude leather belt held a baggy pair of off-white pants firmly on his waist. The two drifted off to the side, avoiding the biggest part of the crowd to have more space as they talked.

"Thanks for stickin' back to keep me company on the trip, Jas, but I wish ya'd just've gotten me outta here with the uppers," the red-headed Gerudo commented to the blond Hylian.

The Hylian teen answered, "Are you joking, Link?" His voice began to grow stern. "Do you have any idea how much those snobby, uptight women complain when displaced from their comfortable lives and luxuries? Don't forget, also, that the rest of the rich kids detest the lower class. You must remember the name calling."

"Aww, c'mon. You know they don't mean it. Everyone loves me," the Link responded with a slight smirk.

The Hylian chuckled, "Try selling those words to Miss Tannip. When you pilfered her apple pie out of the window, she insisted that I discipline you with a swift slap the next time I saw you." That said, Jason quickly swung his arm and popped his friend in the back of the head.

"Oww!" Link winced and scowled at Jason. "What in blazes was _that_ for?!"

The older boy laughed, "Have you not heard a word I have spoken?"

"Oh, right. The apple pie. Ugh.. it made me sick for two days. Wasn't that punishment enough?" The Gerudo rubbed the back of his head and ruffled his short, curly red hair. "How'd ya get your mum to let you take the trip with me anyway? I see the dirty looks she gives me when she sees us talking."

Jason shrugged and glanced sideways at Link, "About that. Yeah, well Mother is not aware that I am here with you."

Link snickered, "Lady Ruth would be stompin' mad if she knew."

"Allison is covering for me. Mother will not find out. Do you have any plans for Kakariko, Link?"

"Guess things're diff'rent there for me, eh?"

"Certainly. It is much more quiet there. Mother and her friends gossip about it. They claim that people only live there because they are too poor to live in the Castle Town. You know how _those_ ladies are."

"Ya know what though?" Link turned to Jason as they walked across the vast plains of Hyrule. "I really just want a home."

"If my Father had his way, you would be living with us. Mother refuses to allow a homeless Gerudo to reside under our roof. Even a warrior like my Father will not defy Mother's wishes, and Mother will not yield." While passing farms in the distance, a pair of horses caught Jason's eye, trotting through a pasture. "What is your opinion of those horses, Link? Father promised me a fine stallion when he returns from the war."

"They seem like good horses t'me. I don't know much 'bout 'em though. Isn't the fighting going bad? That's why we're leavin' for the village, right? Ya think the Knights can hold back the monsters?"

The Hylian stopped where he stood and spoke proudly. "Father will bring this war to an end. Wait and you'll see. No one has ever defeated my Father."

Jason's confidence restored Link's morale and put his faith back in the Hylian Army, even if only briefly. The Gerudo looked back at a chocolate colored steed with a glimmer of hope. "Ya think I can ride your horse when it's all over?"

Jason smiled, "Of course. That is what friends are for, correct? You are my best friend after all."

Later, as the journey wore on and the afternoon began melting into evening, the looming storm that had been hanging in the horizon struck. The rolling thunder had sounded its ominous warning while the sky continued to darken. Rain soon made its appearance after lightning began flashing in the clouds. The storm sapped everyone's already low spirits and added to the weight of worry they already bore. As the precipitation intensified, even Jason's shoulders began to sag. There was no helping it. Everyone had to perservere. There would be no safe haven in these fields, so the refugees were forced to endure the storm and press ever onward towards their destination. Hidden beyond the heavy dark clouds, the sun was starting to hang low in the western sky. These storms were absurdly frequent since the Moblins had returned, even so that the superstitious formed a connection between the two.

Hour after hour the downpour continued until the only remaining light radiated from the lightning that shot across the sky, bringing loud crashes of thunder. The downcast masses trudged through muddy fields, begging for shelter or an end to the rain. Neither seemed to be at hand. With low spirits the guards and eldest of the youngsters set to work, erecting shelters of wooden slats to support a canvas roof. Bed rolls were scattered under these makeshift canopies so that everyone could camp for the rest of the night out of the rain. There was very little conversation and everyone seemed on edge. Even Link had become quiet. Jason missed his upbeat sarcasm and turned to thoughts of his father. The women were beside themselves with worry and many of the young children and babies were crying. The darkness of the storm was affecting everyone. Even the guards seemed afraid. Everyone felt it.

"Something is not right. I cannot discern the exact problem, but I am certain there is something wrong," Jason spoke to Link, concerned, as he stood under the edge of a shoddy tent to watch the storm. "I am not sure why I feel this way, but everything seems wrong."

Link kicked at the mud, digging a sandaled toe into soggy earth. "It feels like a hundred, no, a _thousand_ eyes are watchin' us from out there." His eyes never once raised from the ground.

"That is exactly how I feel, too. Do you suppose we might be attacked out here tonight?" Jason turned to face his friend in the torchlight.

"Prolly not," Link started, looking up to meet Jason's eyes. "They say the Moblins all comin' from the south somewhere, right? Since we're all goin' east, shouldn't we be okay?" He dropped his gaze back to the mud that he still dug his sandal into,

"We _should_ be safe, but it is not making this leaden dread disperse is it?"

Link sighed in response. He bore the harsh weight of anxiety as heavily as the Hylians.

A new voice joined into the conversation. "Don't worry, Zobel," a young man wearing the armor and apparel of the Hylian Guard called from the rain with an emotionless voice. "We can always throw that desert rat out to appease the Moblins if they show their ugly faces here."

"Take that back you _bastard_!" The young Gerudo snapped to attention and sprang from the shelter after the guard before Jason could catch him. He slid a small knife from a sheath on his belt.

"Link! Stop!" Jason ran after Link, taking note of the weapon he held.

"Come on then!" The guard shouted his challenge to the Gerudo, drawing more attention to the escalating altercation. People were drawing closer to see the events that were unfolding.

Link tried to thrust his knife, but instead doubled over. The toe of the guard's heavy boot had jabbed painfully into the Gerudo's midsection, and was followed by a knee to his face. The fight was gone from Link and he fell backwards. His aggressor stood over him, coldly regarding the figure sprawled out laying on his side in the mud. The Gerudo only held onto the last frayed thread of his consciousness as the Hylian Sword left its sheath. As Link's half open eyes caught sight of the sword, the blade seemed so distant to him as the guard prepared his finishing blow.

"One of these days we'll be rid of your kind, worthless thieves the whole lot of you!" The poised blade swung forcefully down and met with a loud clang.

Jason held back the lethal blow back with his own sword, the same sword his father had been granted in his days in the militia so long ago.

"If you are looking for a rematch from last week, I am ready. Otherwise, I suggest you walk away now, Nothamus!"

"Why do you defend him?! He will get you into his trouble too someday!" Nothamus pressed his attack in spite of Jason's blade.

While vainly straining against Jason's sword, Nothamus glanced around at the spectators that had gathered. It wasn't in his best interests to risk losing a second time in front of this audience. His green eyes were locked to Jason's unwavering blue eyes as he continued to struggle. It was the infuriated guard that submitted, leaving Jason to deal with the fading Gerudo that lay at his feet. Nothamus disappeared beyond the light of the torch. Kneeling to pick Link up, Jason caught the reflection of lightning off the blade of Link's knife. He decided to hang onto it, lest the Gerudo get himself into more trouble with it later. Jason slung his friend's now unconscious body over his shoulder after addressing the onlookers with a sigh and carried him back under the tent. After placing Link on a bedroll, Jason sat on a wet patch of grass and stared out into the darkness.

The rainfall continued, lightening through the night. The thunder and lightning had ceased not too long after the incident with Nothamus and the majority of the refugees had succumbed to their fatigue and now slept. Jason still sat alone in the dark, contemplating the recent turn of events. He missed his family horribly. His father he hadn't seen in weeks. His mother and sister hopefully were in Kakariko Village resting at an Inn. The rain was very depressing. He supposed Link was right, perhaps he should have taken this trip with the upper class. He felt dreadfully lonely now, as Link remained unconscious nearby. He continued to sit there in the dark with his thoughts.

In due time he slept as well.

**Closing Note:** Well, what do you think? Like it? Hate it? If you like it, tell me in a review. If you hate it, let me know what you don't like about it. If you find inconsistencies in the story, please let me know. Also, please report any spelling errors/typos outside of reviews so I can correct them. I'm off to bed now. I hope to have the next chapter up in another month or two. Goodnight everyone.


	3. Chapter 2: Storm

**Author's Note:** Yeah yeah. I didn't update in forever. Lookie here though. Here it is. So I am thinking I might be picking this back up if people are interested. Been really busy with non-writing endeavors for quite some time. If you want more, you know what to do. Tell me with that little Review button. That bumps it up the priority ladder that my life is playing King of the Hill on constantly.

**DISCLAIMER:** If it obviously belongs to Nintendo, it probably belongs to Nintendo. If it belongs to me then it belongs to me. If it belongs to someone else, then.. Well you get the picture. Again though, the Link in this story is not the mainstream Nintendo icon. I've met someone who is probably in his 40's by now named Link long ago. The name did exist before Nintendo dropped it on its Green Tunic hero. Therefore I think I am allowed to own a character by that name. Am I right? However I doubt you're here for this segment of the document. Moving on...

**Chapter 2: Storm**

**1297H 22nd of Rainfallen**

When Jason awoke, he found the camp shrouded in fog and its inhabitants in confusion. The women were already occupied with hushed gossiping, and the patrolling guards were somber and tense. He stretched his arms with a yawn and turned to Link. The Gerudo sat quietly beside him deep in thought, arms wrapped around his knees. After standing and brushing his clothes off, Jason pulled his sword from under his bedroll and sat down. Placing his hand on Link's shoulder, he gave him a small nudge.

"What is wrong? Everyone is so quiet." Jason glanced expectantly to his friend but, though Link's silent gaze turned to meet his, he offered no answer. "Come now, did something happen?"

With a stifled sigh, the troubled youngster finally spoke up. "You might wanna pray to the goddesses for your family."

"What? What do you mean?" Jason's eyes widened immediately.

"Well.." Link began, pausing to rub his nose as he tried to think of a way to put his words together.

"Well, what? What happened?" The Hylian teen was on his feet in an instant.

"A small band'a Moblins attacked early in the morning."

"Did I sleep through it?" Jason's hand gripped the handle of the sword instinctively.

"Well some of 'em were wounded already, and they struck from the east. I heard they were loaded too." Link reluctantly explained.

Jason felt his heart sink. "The others, they would have already arrived in Kakariko though. Right?"

Link covered his face with his hands and continued. "They found the sword of Captain Hallander on one of them."

Without waiting for further explanation Jason broke into a full sprint, sword in hand. A nearby guard tried to stop him but he shoved the guard aside. Link ran after him but the guard caught him by the collar and held him back.

"Lemme go!" Link yelled, struggling furiously to break free.

"Calm down, kid. He won't get far, and if he does he'll wish he hadn't." The guard, an older man with a graying beard, released the Gerudo but stood squarely in his path. All Link could do was watch his friend fade into the morning fog.

**1297H 21st of Rainfallen**

Allison gave one last glance back to her brother before hurrying to her mother's side. Many of the irritated women around her were squabbling over trivial things such as who would be getting on carriages first, or how much space they would need, and then more generally just the entire situation of leaving. As she patiently waited in silence the arguments were quickly settled by guards who were indifferent to where the women were seated, or the amount of personal space they had. The guards became quite vocal of their indifference when the occasional haughty refugee voiced that she refused to ride with so-and-so or that she required more room to sit comfortably. The suggestion of taking the trip on foot with the lower class was usually all any of them needed to keep them in line and boarding went relatively smoothly.

As Allison waited, she glanced solemnly around. She hoped to catch sight of her friends and her eyes lit up as she caught sight of Laurel Prianse. Laurel barely was able to manage a smile and a wave before she was dragged away by her rushing mother, Vanisa. Waving and offering a smile of her own, Allison suddenly realized her own mother was climbing aboard a carriage and gesturing for her to come. Ruth's stern look melted into a small satisfied smile as Allison took her seat.

"I know you're afraid dear, but don't worry yourself. Once we arrive in the village everything will be okay." Ruth comfortingly rubbed Allison's back as the carriage began slowly rolling. Allison closed her eyes without responding and clasped her hands to her chest offering a silent prayer to Nayru for protection.

The sound of wheels rolling, the creaking of wood, the thud of hooves against earth; those were the only sounds to be heard as the caravan traveled. Occasionally the wind would pick up or thunder would boom in the distance, but there was surprisingly very little talking among the carriages. Even the children were remarkably quiet and well-behaved, adding to the ominous silence. The gravity of the situation was striking home now that they were really leaving their homes behind.

Each moment of continued silence made Allison increasingly apprehensive. She wished Jason were here. His presence always made her feel safe. She knew he never would have left her side had he known how fearful she was, but she had told him everything was fine. _Fine indeed. _The anxiety finally drove the girl from her seat. Vainly she hunted, hoping that Jason had changed his mind, that he was in one of the wagons behind her. Her eyes settled instead on her friend Laurel, two wagons back. Laurel turned and both of them brightened when their eyes met, but the path took her out of view, leaving Allison once again feeling so dreadfully alone.

The time crawled by slowly, minutes feeling like hours and hours feeling like eternity. After a long failed attempt at a nap she felt the carriage come to a stop. This, and the tense silence that followed was more than Allison could bear. It was a silence everyone was afraid to break, but break it did. All at once. The darkened skies cried out with a peal of thunder, and the heavy black clouds let loose torrents of rain upon them. It was then also that the forward guard noticed the Moblin ambush. The storm worked completely to the advantage of the Moblins. The thunder drowned the guards' shouts, and a volley of arrows silenced them permanently.

Everything exploded into chaos when that same volley of arrows began peppering the wagons and carriages, killing woman, child, and horse indiscriminately. An orchestra of screams, mixture of agony and fear filled the air as fresh blood tainted the now muddy earth. The horses were spooked and the ones that were able tried to bolt from the area. Most couldn't break free from their harnesses, adding to the chaotic scene as carriages and wagons began to collide.

Allison had scarcely begun to realize what was happening when another wagon crashed into hers. A wheel shattered and the whole carriage fell over on its side. She screamed as she tumbled out of the carriage, a scream that joined the cacophony of despair without notice. As she tried to stand someone fell on top of her, pinning her down. An icy wave of fear shot through her as she found herself face to face with the wide-eyed and empty stare of her mother. Allison stared into Ruth's eyes as those eyes stared through her. Frozen by her fear, she slowly noticed blood and then an arrow protruding from her mother's head. She screamed, and screamed again. Her mother was dead, and she could do nothing but scream. This couldn't be happening. Allison panicked, she didn't know what to do. There wasn't anything she could do. Trapped under the weight of her mother's body, she did the only thing a twelve year old girl could do. She cried.

**1297H 22nd of Rainfallen**

Jason Zobel fell to his knees, overwhelmed. This was the first battlefield he'd seen. The bodies. The smell of blood and death, intensified by the fog. It was more than he could bear. A cyclone of emotions tore through his chest. None of this was supposed to happen. His father and the Hylian Knights were fighting the Moblins to allow this passage to Kakariko. How could this have happened? It was the hardest thing he ever remembered doing just to stand up again but, fueled only by pure will, the young Jason rose to his feet and began his search.

While constantly repeating a prayer under his breath to Farore that his mother and sister had come to no harm Jason began scanning the massacre that spread before him. He recognized most of the faces he saw, though he didn't have a name for many of them. There were others walking around the site as well. A handful of guards, all but one from his camp, were already pulling wounded survivors from the wreckage of wagons. There weren't many to be seen, and his mother and sister were not among them. As he made his way across the corpses, he noted the body of a middle-aged woman he knew. Lady Malina, a woman who'd already lost her husband and two sons in the war. She had an arrow lodged in her leg and a deep cut across her neck. The young Hylian desperately tried to steel his nerves, hoping that the woman could finally be reunited with her family.

The next faces he recognized struck harder against him. Lady Bemisha, and her daughter Tilsha, or Tilly as he had called her growing up. Bemisha had been a lifelong friend of his mother, and several years ago plans were made for an arranged marriage between Jason and Tilsha. Both of them being children at the time, they were repulsed by the thought of marriage especially to each other. The plans were finally disrupted for good when Jason and Tilsha ran away and refused to return, causing a big dispute between Tolbin and Bemisha's husband Renard. In the past year however, though she never spoke as much, Tilsha had begun falling in love with Jason and planned on confessing her feelings the next time she saw him. They both were sprawled face down in the mud, having been struck in the back by arrows as they attempted to flee. Tears streamed down his cheeks; he tried to bar the reality of the situation from his mind before he lost the strength to continue. He still had to find his family.

Everywhere Jason looked he found the corpse of someone else he knew. An old woman named Jenah who always looked down on everyone. A young woman named Nessilia who'd been expecting. Her husband was a bold trader who dared to travel south despite the war and had not been heard from since. Jason nearly vomited, observing that the death of her unborn child had been guaranteed by a blade through her stomach. It broke him. The harsh and bitter reality of what this war really meant never really hit home until he witnessed the raw carnage left behind. The fantasy stories he believed in childhood of his father bravely charging into battle against the Moblins never could have prepared him for what he was now seeing firsthand. The truth of it shattered his world, but none of it compared to what he saw next.

Jason Zobel's blood ran ice cold and he thought he felt his heart stop beating when his eyes came to rest on his mother's face. Ruth's eyes wide with fear, mouth open as if to scream. Without a moment's pause, he ran to his mother's side and cried out both in rage and terrible sadness. With no other outlet for the incomprehensible shock he was feeling, he screamed again in rage. Jason looked up into the sky, not knowing how to accept the sight of his mother's body. Finally he collapsed, burying his face in her chest, and he wept uncontrollably.

**Closing Note:** It took some time to get myself back into writing this. Honestly, I had no intention of writing this particular story when I grabbed my notebooks and my laptop. It just, well, happened. I ended up reading what I had jotted down the last time I bothered and this is what I ended up doing. Can't guarantee I'll be prompt with my next chapter either with the lack of reception of my last submission. I have too much on my plate as it is. However, nothing shows you care like a nice review. Hint hint. Nudge nudge. Goodnight!


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